Posts by Jesse Sanchez90

cosmicviper10 said:Oh, and yeah... that’s basically the crux of it, isn't it? That's the whole problem. No matter what you try to build or start, you just run straight into this massive wall of resistance...

But hey, whatever. This article is focusing on agritourism... does anyone actually have a positive example? Like, has anyone actually pulled it off and succeeded or something??

Oh, they definitely exist—you can find a few estates like that near Saint John. The real catch is that they're way too far away from anything that feels like a convenient getaway.
On top of that, unfortunately, they end up being way too pricey for the average American family to afford.

cosmicviper10 said:Oh, and yeah... that’s basically the crux of it, isn't it? That's the whole problem. No matter what you try to build or start, you just run straight into this massive wall of resistance...

But hey, whatever. This article is focusing on agritourism... does anyone actually have a positive example? Like, has anyone actually pulled it off and succeeded or something??

It isn't just "resistance" in the traditional sense; it's more like every single link in the chain is trying to grab its own slice of the pie independently...🙄

Without genuine willpower at the higher political levels, you aren't going to find solutions for even the most seemingly impossible issues—just look at the latest situation regarding the border between the US and Mexico.
Ask God what they actually signed🤷 but—Eppur si muove....

Sam Murphy said:Getting our hands on this money from the European Union is going to be an uphill battle because they require us to match every cent with our own funds, and frankly, we don't have the capital unless we put our very homes on the line... On top of that, they demand perfectly organized paperwork and all sorts of permits, which, let’s be honest, is nothing short of a pipe dream in this country. You hear people down by the coast complaining that tourism isn't paying out enough, yet here we are being told to develop rural areas, but if you ask me, I don't see that ever actually happening...

You’ve got a point in the first half of what you said, but this whole thing about the coast just feels like constant complaining to me...
I mean, how else are they supposed to make a living during the off-season? And why on earth do they keep coming back to such a grueling, low-reward grind year after year?🙄

Richard Lewis16 said:exactly, there’s really no point in trying to educate them... it's better if they just focus on their own work, and then eventually someone else steps up to take over the reins, you know, like their son, or a nephew, or some other relative...

I mean, why on earth would a farmer want to deal with this? Why should he be expected to pivot his whole life toward tourism?
The older folks living out in the {{Dalmatian Hinterland}}... they aren't going to find it easy at all to jump into the tourism industry, believe me, I know from experience...😉
Of course, the local municipality ought to offer support to anyone who actually shows interest, but according to your logic, someone should be going door-to-door, practically begging people to see that tourism is a good path to take, while the rest of us are just supposed to foot the bill for it all...🤷

Believe it or not, that’s actually how the whole process works when you're trying to secure funding from the European Union: the government has to chip in a specific amount just to make the competition viable in the first place. Essentially, the bureaucrats in various agencies and departments are supposed to encourage people to join the system. However, the real issue is that someone actually has to draft the proposal, organize everything perfectly, and submit the paperwork. In our neck of the woods, that's where everything usually falls apart.

As for the farmers—they don't *have* to do anything. But if they choose not to participate, then they shouldn't be receiving subsidies for things they aren't doing, nor should they be competing for social assistance if they are perfectly capable of working.

Richard Lewis16 said:I mean, if he’s just going to grind away year after year turning out the exact same stuff as everyone else, then he’s never actually going to see any real profit... 🤷

He won't really be touching those kinds of numbers until he's put in maybe five or six years of hard labor 😉 (we're talking around $5,500)
Honestly, instead of just throwing money down the drain on stadium seats or whatever, it would be way more efficient to just lend that cash to someone who actually wants to make a go of it

It would be much better if things were organized through cooperatives—though, let's face it, that’s always been the biggest headache here, all that fear of collaboration and the sheer inability to reach an agreement... but if they did, you'd have everything streamlined, from the cattle farmers to the guys running rental properties and everything in between
But hey, don't feel too bad about it, this isn't just our local struggle, so there's your small consolation

You're overlooking a "major" obstacle—even though we live in this weird, mutated version of socialized capitalism, how are you supposed to convince someone to join an association similar to what they had back in the old communist days? Nobody's interested in going back to that mindset... 🙄
Even though forming these groups is the most logical way for small producers to band together and defend themselves against the corporate sharks in wholesale, there's already enough literature out there written on napkins about why we need to scale up to get products into markets.

First off, we need to "untether" people from government handouts...

On a side note, I'm curious about how everyone defines "making a living." It's not like anyone is out there begging in the countryside, and housing isn't exactly cheap either. Most people in the big cities can only dream of what life is like out here, especially since they have to buy every single scrap of food they eat...

brisknomad6 said:Why? Honestly, I'm gonna be a little selfish here, if you don't mind me saying.

Who gave me an entrepreneurship course eight years ago? Who gave me any kind of break on my taxes or social security contributions back then? Who bought me equipment for my business or handed me a grant eight years ago?

Nobody. 🙄

So why on earth should we be handing out funds or teaching them all about tax obligations when we don't do that for any other private business owner out there? 😉

But, okay, looking at it from the heart... I'm definitely all for the government helping EVERYONE who starts a private business—people who might one day be the ones driving production and filling up the state treasury.

Like, show an entrepreneur how to file their sales tax, or have the government handle the paperwork for them until they finally hit enough revenue to afford their own accountant.

Maybe waive those payroll taxes for the first month or so.

Or subsidize equipment costs for the first year or two (for example, if you buy software, maybe skip the sales tax or customs fees).

And don't go chasing down sales tax that a small firm hasn't even collected yet.

Keep those social security contributions at a minimum for small contractors.

And give them a reward if they stay on top of their payments to the government.

But it has to be for EVERYONE, not just hand-picked favorites, because honestly, playing favorites just isn't fair. 🙂

It’s probably because then offering incentives would actually make sense—because people would actually have to earn their keep. Right now, these incentives are being handed out without anyone checking if anyone is even planting anything or doing actual work. It ends up feeling more like a substitute for traditional humanitarian or social welfare, but unlike those types of aid, this doesn't actually multiply profits.
We’re paying into the budget regardless, so why not use it to actually educate people properly? We could encourage them to earn their own way while also keeping Shuki happy so he doesn't leave us saddling our great-grandchildren with debt. Everything we do is built on trade and tax policy—just like how it used to be at the old customs houses, and how it is today in the IRS offices.
It’s tradition, really...

Charles Ramos7 said:brisknomad6 👍

Families like yours are exactly who we should be targeting, so we really need to tailor our offerings to fit them.

Good catch. Around here, people mostly just look for ways to skin a cat or find stuff they'd normally pay way more for. $3.25 And you start seeing those earnings pretty quickly, too. $10 Regarding guests (and I’m not just talking about the Midwest, but generally speaking).

With that "factor of 3" you mentioned, you’re actually landing right in the middle of what Tomić calls the "optimist" category... 😍

Charles Ramos7 said:Forget about London for a second; I didn't bring it up because people are traveling there or because it's an alternative to agritourism. I was talking about distance and transport links, and specifically which types of guests actually end up using rural tourism. When you mention foreigners, sure, they won't fly to London for dinner, but someone from London (and I’m just using London as a symbol here—you could substitute Munich or Rome) isn't going to travel to the Midwest for agritourism because of those same issues with distance and accessibility.

I completely understand that we're talking about symbolic destinations here—and honestly, I’m thinking along much the same lines. But let's be clear: my intention isn't to bury our local tourism industry or throw dirt on the whole operation. What I'm really trying to do is propose a solid concept and pinpoint exactly where things are starting to go sideways.

Honestly, we all have those days where we really crave something specific, but because fulfilling that wish for Washington, D.C. just isn't feasible right now, we simply head over to the neighboring areas where we already know all the best spots.

I honestly didn't think anyone would be traveling all the way from London just to join us for an agritourism dinner here! 🤣 Since he’s already here—we aren't actually going to send him off to some local grocery store like a broke traveler would, right?😂

When it comes to traffic connections, the Midwest has had that highway for decades now, but honestly? It’s basically a ghost road. Nobody actually drives on it. We were heading out toward Small Town, USA, and we barely saw a single car—unless, of course, you count the one vehicle that was probably just on a massive cross-country trek! But still... An American through and through just doesn't drive like that.What exactly is the fundamental basis for exploiting the Canadian highway?😕 Even if a local driver isn't directly topping up their toll account because they have a subsidized vignette price, they’re still contributing. In a way, every resident benefits from this system; whether you're paying for a sticker or just filling up your tank, you’re effectively helping fund that highway. There’s this common misconception among people here that if they aren't out on the road driving, the highway doesn't concern them. That couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, through various taxes baked into everything from the price of gasoline to the cost of an annual vehicle inspection, everyone is chipping in to cover the construction and maintenance of those roads. It's all interconnected.

brisknomad6 said:Hey... what's up? Just hanging out. 😁 Alright, well... I guess it's back to the grind then. Time to get to work. 😁

I totally get where they're coming from, you know? I mean, when you've got the whole agritourism setup going, plus all the livestock and your own land to look after... it's a lot. I guess I just completely understand why people feel that way.

Well, I guess if we're going that route, we might as well just scrap the whole tourism thing entirely. Honestly, maybe it’s better that way? Just... forget about it.

I mean, we aren't exactly running a full-blown tourism operation or anything, but we are open Friday through Sunday from 2 PM to 10 PM. Just a heads up though—we're totally closed on holidays and during the summer, so don't make the trip if you show up then! 😁
So, we’re looking at offering maybe two or three different dishes—you know, one of them would be made to order, totally custom and stuff—plus some sleeping arrangements for... $83 Maybe we could add some extra stuff too... like a little personal touch, you know? I was thinking maybe adding a walk through the orchards just to give people something more to do. Just an extra bit of flavor for the trip!

So, let's just say there's two people—plus a dog—who are basically itching to ditch the city for a quick weekend getaway. Just get outta town, you know? Grab the keys, pack a bag, and just... go.

I guess I'm just gonna be straight with you—I'm not doing any overnight stays. No way. $167 No dog, huh? Man, that’s tough. I guess life just feels a little quieter without them around, right? Maybe a bit too quiet, honestly. It's kind of a bummer, if you ask me.

I mean, I’d probably drop like $250 for the three of us—that would cover the night stay plus a homemade breakfast. And honestly? I’d totally end up staying for dinner too, sipping on some local wine... maybe another $250 just for that.

So, I was thinking about the math on this... if you count the hotel breakfast at $3 per person—and let's say we're actually looking at a $5 cost per head—that would be... $25I mean, even if local food is cheaper or whatever, let's just say we went through a massive amount of bedding and burned through quite a bit of electricity... and, I don't know, maybe the dinner costs were also... $33 Man, I mean, we’ve already blown through half the budget—there's still some left for them, I guess. $83

If they’ve got any sense at all, they’ll just sell me ten eggs, a loaf of bread straight out of the oven, a couple bottles of wine, and a bag of frozen porcini mushrooms. That's basically the dream, I guess. 😉 So, like, maybe I could actually pull in another couple hundred bucks from this? I mean, who knows, right? Maybe. It's probably worth a shot, I guess.

So, if we're actually happy with how things are turning out, I guess we might head out for a couple of weekends with some friends... or, hey, maybe we just send the old folks off for a weekend getaway and boom—there's our little side hustle right there. Not like a massive payday or anything, obviously, but you know, it works!

I mean, honestly, they don't even have any... $83

Yeah, I totally get it. I know some people are gonna jump in now and start whining that it’s too small or that it just isn't worth the hassle... but honestly, I gotta ask—how exactly is it supposed to be "worth it" to them if they're just sitting there staring at empty rooms?

Wait, wait... that’s exactly where the catch is. For this kind of thing to actually work, you really need everything consolidated in one spot. Or, at the very least, you’d have to distribute the roles across the entire town: one person provides the milk, another handles the bread, a third preps the beans, a fourth manages the livestock, a fifth offers the lodging, and a sixth comes up with all the entertainment... That’s the only way it makes any sense! But honestly? I’m worried our people just don't have the vision. They lack the resources because they can't even get access to decent credit. Meanwhile, the government is busy throwing subsidies at phantom businesses—take that jam farm right next door to the refinery near Sisak, for example. Seriously, does the government actually believe that imaginary jam is going to make guests glow brighter at night? ????

brisknomad6 said:Hey... what's up? Just hanging out. 😁 Alright, well... I guess it's back to the grind then. Time to get to work. 😁

I totally get where they're coming from, you know? I mean, when you've got the whole agritourism setup going, plus all the livestock and your own land to look after... it's a lot. I guess I just completely understand why people feel that way.

Well, I guess if we're going that route, we might as well just scrap the whole tourism thing entirely. Honestly, maybe it’s better that way? Just... forget about it.

I mean, we aren't exactly running a full-blown tourism operation or anything, but we are open Friday through Sunday from 2 PM to 10 PM. Just a heads up though—we're totally closed on holidays and during the summer, so don't make the trip if you show up then! 😁
So, we’re looking at offering maybe two or three different dishes—you know, one of them would be made to order, totally custom and stuff—plus some sleeping arrangements for... $83 Maybe we could add some extra stuff too... like a little personal touch, you know? I was thinking maybe adding a walk through the orchards just to give people something more to do. Just an extra bit of flavor for the trip!

So, let's just say there's two people—plus a dog—who are basically itching to ditch the city for a quick weekend getaway. Just get outta town, you know? Grab the keys, pack a bag, and just... go.

I guess I'm just gonna be straight with you—I'm not doing any overnight stays. No way. $167 No dog, huh? Man, that’s tough. I guess life just feels a little quieter without them around, right? Maybe a bit too quiet, honestly. It's kind of a bummer, if you ask me.

I mean, I’d probably drop like $250 for the three of us—that would cover the night stay plus a homemade breakfast. And honestly? I’d totally end up staying for dinner too, sipping on some local wine... maybe another $250 just for that.

So, I was thinking about the math on this... if you count the hotel breakfast at $3 per person—and let's say we're actually looking at a $5 cost per head—that would be... $25I mean, even if local food is cheaper or whatever, let's just say we went through a massive amount of bedding and burned through quite a bit of electricity... and, I don't know, maybe the dinner costs were also... $33 Man, I mean, we’ve already blown through half the budget—there's still some left for them, I guess. $83

If they’ve got any sense at all, they’ll just sell me ten eggs, a loaf of bread straight out of the oven, a couple bottles of wine, and a bag of frozen porcini mushrooms. That's basically the dream, I guess. 😉 So, like, maybe I could actually pull in another couple hundred bucks from this? I mean, who knows, right? Maybe. It's probably worth a shot, I guess.

So, if we're actually happy with how things are turning out, I guess we might head out for a couple of weekends with some friends... or, hey, maybe we just send the old folks off for a weekend getaway and boom—there's our little side hustle right there. Not like a massive payday or anything, obviously, but you know, it works!

I mean, honestly, they don't even have any... $83

Yeah, I totally get it. I know some people are gonna jump in now and start whining that it’s too small or that it just isn't worth the hassle... but honestly, I gotta ask—how exactly is it supposed to be "worth it" to them if they're just sitting there staring at empty rooms?

Breakfast prices have already climbed to at least 5 USD over in the European Union, and let's be honest—we're famous for just being experts at the whole copy-paste routine.

brisknomad6 said:Hey... what's up? Just hanging out. 😁 Alright, well... I guess it's back to the grind then. Time to get to work. 😁

I totally get where they're coming from, you know? I mean, when you've got the whole agritourism setup going, plus all the livestock and your own land to look after... it's a lot. I guess I just completely understand why people feel that way.

Well, I guess if we're going that route, we might as well just scrap the whole tourism thing entirely. Honestly, maybe it’s better that way? Just... forget about it.

I mean, we aren't exactly running a full-blown tourism operation or anything, but we are open Friday through Sunday from 2 PM to 10 PM. Just a heads up though—we're totally closed on holidays and during the summer, so don't make the trip if you show up then! 😁
So, we’re looking at offering maybe two or three different dishes—you know, one of them would be made to order, totally custom and stuff—plus some sleeping arrangements for... $83 Maybe we could add some extra stuff too... like a little personal touch, you know? I was thinking maybe adding a walk through the orchards just to give people something more to do. Just an extra bit of flavor for the trip!

So, let's just say there's two people—plus a dog—who are basically itching to ditch the city for a quick weekend getaway. Just get outta town, you know? Grab the keys, pack a bag, and just... go.

I guess I'm just gonna be straight with you—I'm not doing any overnight stays. No way. $167 No dog, huh? Man, that’s tough. I guess life just feels a little quieter without them around, right? Maybe a bit too quiet, honestly. It's kind of a bummer, if you ask me.

I mean, I’d probably drop like $250 for the three of us—that would cover the night stay plus a homemade breakfast. And honestly? I’d totally end up staying for dinner too, sipping on some local wine... maybe another $250 just for that.

So, I was thinking about the math on this... if you count the hotel breakfast at $3 per person—and let's say we're actually looking at a $5 cost per head—that would be... $25I mean, even if local food is cheaper or whatever, let's just say we went through a massive amount of bedding and burned through quite a bit of electricity... and, I don't know, maybe the dinner costs were also... $33 Man, I mean, we’ve already blown through half the budget—there's still some left for them, I guess. $83

If they’ve got any sense at all, they’ll just sell me ten eggs, a loaf of bread straight out of the oven, a couple bottles of wine, and a bag of frozen porcini mushrooms. That's basically the dream, I guess. 😉 So, like, maybe I could actually pull in another couple hundred bucks from this? I mean, who knows, right? Maybe. It's probably worth a shot, I guess.

So, if we're actually happy with how things are turning out, I guess we might head out for a couple of weekends with some friends... or, hey, maybe we just send the old folks off for a weekend getaway and boom—there's our little side hustle right there. Not like a massive payday or anything, obviously, but you know, it works!

I mean, honestly, they don't even have any... $83

Yeah, I totally get it. I know some people are gonna jump in now and start whining that it’s too small or that it just isn't worth the hassle... but honestly, I gotta ask—how exactly is it supposed to be "worth it" to them if they're just sitting there staring at empty rooms?

Honestly, when it comes to this kind of thing, you really need to have some level of sanitary standards in place. You need people running the household who actually understand and respect those rules, and every single product used has to be thoroughly vetted. It’s just common sense!

brisknomad6 said:Hey... what's up? Just hanging out. 😁 Alright, well... I guess it's back to the grind then. Time to get to work. 😁

I totally get where they're coming from, you know? I mean, when you've got the whole agritourism setup going, plus all the livestock and your own land to look after... it's a lot. I guess I just completely understand why people feel that way.

Well, I guess if we're going that route, we might as well just scrap the whole tourism thing entirely. Honestly, maybe it’s better that way? Just... forget about it.

I mean, we aren't exactly running a full-blown tourism operation or anything, but we are open Friday through Sunday from 2 PM to 10 PM. Just a heads up though—we're totally closed on holidays and during the summer, so don't make the trip if you show up then! 😁
So, we’re looking at offering maybe two or three different dishes—you know, one of them would be made to order, totally custom and stuff—plus some sleeping arrangements for... $83 Maybe we could add some extra stuff too... like a little personal touch, you know? I was thinking maybe adding a walk through the orchards just to give people something more to do. Just an extra bit of flavor for the trip!

So, let's just say there's two people—plus a dog—who are basically itching to ditch the city for a quick weekend getaway. Just get outta town, you know? Grab the keys, pack a bag, and just... go.

I guess I'm just gonna be straight with you—I'm not doing any overnight stays. No way. $167 No dog, huh? Man, that’s tough. I guess life just feels a little quieter without them around, right? Maybe a bit too quiet, honestly. It's kind of a bummer, if you ask me.

I mean, I’d probably drop like $250 for the three of us—that would cover the night stay plus a homemade breakfast. And honestly? I’d totally end up staying for dinner too, sipping on some local wine... maybe another $250 just for that.

So, I was thinking about the math on this... if you count the hotel breakfast at $3 per person—and let's say we're actually looking at a $5 cost per head—that would be... $25I mean, even if local food is cheaper or whatever, let's just say we went through a massive amount of bedding and burned through quite a bit of electricity... and, I don't know, maybe the dinner costs were also... $33 Man, I mean, we’ve already blown through half the budget—there's still some left for them, I guess. $83

If they’ve got any sense at all, they’ll just sell me ten eggs, a loaf of bread straight out of the oven, a couple bottles of wine, and a bag of frozen porcini mushrooms. That's basically the dream, I guess. 😉 So, like, maybe I could actually pull in another couple hundred bucks from this? I mean, who knows, right? Maybe. It's probably worth a shot, I guess.

So, if we're actually happy with how things are turning out, I guess we might head out for a couple of weekends with some friends... or, hey, maybe we just send the old folks off for a weekend getaway and boom—there's our little side hustle right there. Not like a massive payday or anything, obviously, but you know, it works!

I mean, honestly, they don't even have any... $83

Yeah, I totally get it. I know some people are gonna jump in now and start whining that it’s too small or that it just isn't worth the hassle... but honestly, I gotta ask—how exactly is it supposed to be "worth it" to them if they're just sitting there staring at empty rooms?

And to wrap things up—tourism is fundamentally built on local guests and easily accessible travelers. But here’s the real kicker: how do you build something sustainable for the long haul when a huge chunk of the nation isn't working, is living off social assistance, or is just content with those tiny crumbs of imaginary incentives handed out through connections? Or consider the massive number of people working in the US for peanuts...

Whether it's symptomatic or not, where does tourism actually thrive? Is it driven by pure curiosity?
It thrives where the standard of living is high enough that the average citizen can actually afford it. That creates a whole web of interdependent categories that eventually turn into a meaningful industry once there's an economic engine behind it. Honestly, I'm afraid we won't be able to count on that until much closer to fully integrating with the global economy. And I don't mean that things will suddenly start flowing like milk and honey—rather, that only then will the focus shift to: work, work, and more work.

Yesterday, there was an article in the Evening News about a woman on a TV show who basically presented a lie—she featured this guy who supposedly has a regular job but somehow owns a Porsche and a massive mansion. Now, we're all left scratching our heads, even though logically speaking: undermining the value of hard work is one of the worst things that can happen to a country and its society. It's like we think we can just outsmart the textbooks.

Charles Ramos7 said:Someone already started a similar thread (whereabouts in the Midwest are you from? 🙂)but honestly, I don't think anyone here is picking up on the most critical point—who we're actually talking about attracting as guests here.

Like brisknomad6 mentioned, they’d be aiming for a long weekend crowd. That specific demographic dictates everything: the location, the menu, the marketing strategy, all of it...

So, how many people are actually interested?🤔 Personally, there's no way I'm making that trip when I can get to London faster and cheaper. 🙂 Actually, thinking about it, I could fly to a completely different continent in the same amount of time it takes to get there.😁

True, but that's just you speaking—as individuals, we aren't exactly representative samples of the whole population.
On the flip side, there are plenty of people who aren't up for a trip to London every single weekend; for them, driving out to the National Park is just too exhausting.

Furthermore, when a foreign tourist visits the US, do you honestly think they're flying all this way just to go have dinner in London because nobody here offers that kind of experience?!?
French tourism, for instance, is primarily built on catering to their own domestic travelers first, and then everyone else follows because the locals are the easiest group to market to and the most likely to come back.
Foreigners aren't going to fly across the ocean just to indulge in urban tourism, let alone rural stuff. Even countries with much more sophisticated marketing strategies don't rely on pulling people into cities to survive; so where does that leave us? We only really figured out what "promotion" was last year!
At the end of the day, the reality is that foreigners often know more about our historic landmarks and show a greater interest in finding them than we do ourselves—WTF?

brisknomad6 said:That's just not true. 😁

There ARE interested guests, 😉 they just don't want overpriced pork and noodles served during hours that only work for the owners. 😁

Like, a few weeks back, my friends and I wanted to go play in the snow and find somewhere decent to eat.

Out of the 10 farmstays I called, five didn't even pick up. Four told us they were closed because, you know, it was a holiday, and one said dogs were fine, but they had to stay in the yard outside.

In the end, we just drove over to a spot near the suburbs for lunch (should I even mention that the place was absolutely packed 😳 even though it was a holiday? 😁)

We actually thought about escaping the city for a bit—not even a weekend, just a quick trip into nature—but the prices for a room and breakfast were so insane that we just gave up on the idea.

Agritourism really needs to be encouraged and grown, but it has to actually work for the average working person, you know? Like, reasonable prices and an actual decent menu.
Only then does a little farmhouse with home-cooked food and some woods nearby actually make sense as a tourist destination.

Exactly...😂

brisknomad6 said:That's just not true. 😁

There ARE interested guests, 😉 they just don't want overpriced pork and noodles served during hours that only work for the owners. 😁

Like, a few weeks back, my friends and I wanted to go play in the snow and find somewhere decent to eat.

Out of the 10 farmstays I called, five didn't even pick up. Four told us they were closed because, you know, it was a holiday, and one said dogs were fine, but they had to stay in the yard outside.

In the end, we just drove over to a spot near the suburbs for lunch (should I even mention that the place was absolutely packed 😳 even though it was a holiday? 😁)

We actually thought about escaping the city for a bit—not even a weekend, just a quick trip into nature—but the prices for a room and breakfast were so insane that we just gave up on the idea.

Agritourism really needs to be encouraged and grown, but it has to actually work for the average working person, you know? Like, reasonable prices and an actual decent menu.
Only then does a little farmhouse with home-cooked food and some woods nearby actually make sense as a tourist destination.

Still spot on—you don't need any fancy bells and whistles, but man, come on, you've gotta dream up something more than just the usual Washington, D.C. fare, some turkey with noodles, and whatever kind of wild mushroom sauté we've already had a million times!🙄

brisknomad6 said:That's just not true. 😁

There ARE interested guests, 😉 they just don't want overpriced pork and noodles served during hours that only work for the owners. 😁

Like, a few weeks back, my friends and I wanted to go play in the snow and find somewhere decent to eat.

Out of the 10 farmstays I called, five didn't even pick up. Four told us they were closed because, you know, it was a holiday, and one said dogs were fine, but they had to stay in the yard outside.

In the end, we just drove over to a spot near the suburbs for lunch (should I even mention that the place was absolutely packed 😳 even though it was a holiday? 😁)

We actually thought about escaping the city for a bit—not even a weekend, just a quick trip into nature—but the prices for a room and breakfast were so insane that we just gave up on the idea.

Agritourism really needs to be encouraged and grown, but it has to actually work for the average working person, you know? Like, reasonable prices and an actual decent menu.
Only then does a little farmhouse with home-cooked food and some woods nearby actually make sense as a tourist destination.

And you know, cuckolds don't exactly fare that well around here, whereas in Austria—which has such a strong Catholic vibe on that particular day—they go all out!😛

brisknomad6 said:That's just not true. 😁

There ARE interested guests, 😉 they just don't want overpriced pork and noodles served during hours that only work for the owners. 😁

Like, a few weeks back, my friends and I wanted to go play in the snow and find somewhere decent to eat.

Out of the 10 farmstays I called, five didn't even pick up. Four told us they were closed because, you know, it was a holiday, and one said dogs were fine, but they had to stay in the yard outside.

In the end, we just drove over to a spot near the suburbs for lunch (should I even mention that the place was absolutely packed 😳 even though it was a holiday? 😁)

We actually thought about escaping the city for a bit—not even a weekend, just a quick trip into nature—but the prices for a room and breakfast were so insane that we just gave up on the idea.

Agritourism really needs to be encouraged and grown, but it has to actually work for the average working person, you know? Like, reasonable prices and an actual decent menu.
Only then does a little farmhouse with home-cooked food and some woods nearby actually make sense as a tourist destination.

If we had more of them, and if people realized they could stay year-round—just like you see happening in France—we’d really be getting somewhere.
But here in the States, if you don't turn a massive profit on a luxury car within three months, everyone acts like you've completely failed at the business!😲🙄

Sam Murphy said:There just isn't any real interest from guests when it comes to agritourism, so it’s impossible to make it a primary business... because of that, it’s mostly just retirees getting involved, and I know quite a few of them who are basically just collecting massive government grants. I actually submitted a project to the Ministry of Grants myself, hoping to get some support, but they turned me down flat; meanwhile, those same funds are being handed out to those retirees simply because they belong to certain political circles, whereas I don't hold any party affiliation at all. So, we are stuck facing two major hurdles: everyone is heading straight to the coast instead, and the subsidies are essentially being used as rewards for party loyalists to keep them in line... how on earth are we supposed to move forward from here?

I think you might be mistaken there—there are definitely people interested, you just need some serious marketing. On top of that, it's pretty obvious you can't rely on this alone; you have to have a signature source of local food that makes you stand out, something that gives people a reason to come back.

Regarding that second point—yeah, that’s exactly what I was talking about earlier.

boldridge9 said:Hmm, once again everyone is pointing the finger at some government, some bureaucrat, or some minister as the scapegoat for all our problems ... which, granted, is partially true. But honestly, here in America, we have an incredibly low threshold for self-criticism. I’d frame the question this way: what can a specific Joe Smith—say, a farmer from some remote, tourist-starved corner of the country—actually do personally to attract visitors? First, the locals, then maybe a wider crowd? We should really be applying that logic to every sector of society, but hey, it's much easier to just blame the administration!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not defending them—they're just as awful as the system that stretches from the smallest rural towns to the coast—but most of us are also incredibly dull, passive, lazy, and uneducated...
Speaking of farmers constantly complaining about wheat prices every year? Even a bird on a wire knows wheat isn't profitable right now. Well, if it isn't profitable, I guess I'll go plant raspberries. Raspberries are high-value, the market is desperate for them, and you can actually sell them. Though, it feels to me like planting raspberries properly would require actually moving one's butt, doing some reading, talking to the right people, and working a whole lot harder...

In short, while the conditions for developing agritourism in certain parts of the US are pretty grim, not a single individual—who is arguably the most important link in the chain—is actually stepping up to do anything.

... and keep learning. Whether we like it or not, we're living in this era of globalization, where lifelong learning isn't just a suggestion—it's a necessity. It actually pays off because it makes people more mobile, whether they want to be or not.

That said, look at the state of the wine industry here: aside from the massive operations that employ trained enologists in the US, I haven't seen a textbook example of how to properly establish a vineyard, which follows its own strict set of rules. Then there's the idea of opening a tasting room featuring local products and setting up proper spaces for pairing.
But none of that works without cooperation. And since our biggest strength seems to be just struggling to export enough volume, all that talk of "agreement" and "unity" doesn't really build anything lasting around here.
When I think about how things work in France—everyone is always on the move, enjoying themselves, and investing heavily in what actually yields results. For instance, they might design a house with an almost ascetic simplicity, yet it becomes the latest sensation. They offer incredible local food, and the owners provide such high-quality tableware it leaves you speechless—success is basically guaranteed.

Back home, however, the pattern is different. This winter, I was watching Stefan on Fox. It was one of those entertainment shows that tries to sneak in some educational elements. For example, you see these young chefs coming straight out of culinary school to work in some roadside rural tavern, only to be immediately crushed by the tastes of a local grandmother in charge of the kitchen. Everything ends up being smothered in the exact same base sauce until every single dish tastes identical 🙂—and the whole cycle repeats itself.

Generally speaking, around here, school doesn't seem to serve much purpose other than providing a place for the younger crowd to mature until they reach an age where the woods and the open road become their most important life teachers.

cosmicviper10 said:I mean, it’s pretty obvious that everything is interconnected... specifically when you look at how crime and messy politics have been baked into the system since the very beginning, not to mention the fact that we were dealing with actual war in these parts until just about 15 years ago... But I guess we really ought to be looking forward, right? Like, how do we actually build something or fix what's broken... and ultimately, how can a young guy actually get ahead, maybe invest in something and see a return on that investment... whether it’s agritourism or something else entirely...

The problems facing our country are clear enough for even a small child to grasp, and honestly, people seem to bring them up in almost every single open discussion on this forum..

So why do we run into so many roadblocks when trying to solve them?
Why do we always end up retreating into the same old patterns? We forget that the people *are* the state, and that the government is supposed to emerge from them. Instead, we act like small-minded individuals, everyone pulling in their own direction, and whenever we do notice something wrong, we fall back on that "better not to get involved" attitude, as they say in the Hilly Region...

And we keep circling back to the trauma of the war—that’s honestly just the most basic mantra used by scammers and war profiteers, the very reason we find ourselves in this situation today. Yes, half the country was devastated, and yes, people suffered—but our current situation is more like this: your house catches fire, and instead of rebuilding, you spend the rest of your life sweeping through the ashes, relying on humanitarian aid or waiting for someone to toss you a couple of coins while they essentially steal your future.
Why did the former America rise after World War II? Because people actually went to work. The moment everything spiraled downward was when we started drowning in debt, a habit that continued straight through to the present day. And for those who still criticize the old system: it’s actually stronger and more integrated now than ever before. Just look at recent times—from fixing the lottery and the railroads to tackling organized crime, and even the way consumer goods were traded, which wasn't always the case. Back then, you knew exactly who was buying what brand of salt or supplies..

An individual can't do much without support from the government—meaning, without strategic planning. But as long as the climate favors imports and constant borrowing, nothing changes. That will remain the status quo until the majority of taxpayers realize where the real work lies, and until gambling dens become relics of a bygone era. Since the government comes from the people... well, how does that work? It’s a matter of mentality. People don't enter politics to serve; there’s no sense that anyone is actually in control. Instead, it feels like everyone is just lining their pockets. Anyone looking to get something from the government has to practically beg for it, and the same goes for investing in tourism. You can't expect people to work hard when they can just sit in a betting shop—especially when money is constantly trickling into their pockets. The alternative would be having to put in at least ten years of blood and sweat to see any results. This "get-rich-quick" mentality doesn't grasp that logic; they just ride off into the sunset with their loot, hoping to slip under another sheepskin before they're even caught, while everyone else pretends nothing ever happened. And so, the cycle continues....

cosmicviper10 said:I mean, I guess that’s kind of beside the point here, but hey, you make a fair point...

It’s not like a farmer just wants to sit around and collect government handouts for the fun of it, you know? It’s not quite like that... These folks work their tails off all year round, and I really don't think it's just about grabbing subsidies. Honestly, they probably wouldn't even ask for a single cent in aid if the government would just, I don't know, MINIMALLY guarantee they could actually sell what they grow. In the States, farmers are basically treated like the backbone of the country—the government is incredibly dedicated to them and makes sure everything they produce actually finds a buyer. Here, we end up importing a massive amount of food, while our own farmers produce stuff and then basically have to pray to God that someone actually decides to buy it. And as for agritourism? Well, a farmer can't just wake up one day and decide to run a boutique farm stay when that whole concept might as well be written in hieroglyphics to them. They’d need someone to actually teach them the ropes, give them some training, or provide some sort of incentive... but unfortunately, we just don't have that kind of support system around here...

But it *is* all connected. No matter how much we try to untangle the web to make sense of it all, nothing is ever black and white or purely flat. Every time you think you've got a handle on it, you run into a paradox like Columbus's egg.

This isn't strictly about the main topic, though: the issue isn't just about the subsidies themselves, but rather the mechanics of what happens in between.
Maybe the government does buy the produce—but they do it at market rates. Since our budget is built almost entirely on debt, the more a farmer asks from the state, the more the government has to borrow under the guise of "support." This happens because nobody wants to implement the actual structural changes needed to lower production costs. If those costs were lower, farmers would actually make more money. Instead, buyers and producers stay locked in this cycle where everyone ends up blaming each other for budget issues, rather than creating an environment where people can actually turn a great idea into a profitable business.
The more we rely on debt, the deeper we sink into economic dependency on the wealthy elite, which basically turns into economic servitude.

And this doesn't just apply to agriculture; it applies to pretty much every single problem we face independently.

It’s easy to talk about incentives when they’re actually being used for something productive, but how do you justify a subsidy for a patch of uncultivated land, three pigs, and two chickens? You can find endless examples of those kinds of fragmented, "social welfare" style handouts. Naturally, then there’s no funding left for the people who actually use their heads and want to build something real. Why? Because they aren't dependent on the system and don't feel the need to beg. But for anything to truly succeed, it can't be done in isolation: an entire village has to level up together to attract a steady flow of tourists.

On top of that, in all the small towns I've visited across the country, I haven't found a single decent tavern serving real, homemade food—instead, it's just frozen Coca-Cola snacks that we could easily whip up ourselves at home and put in Tupperware.

I could honestly go on about this until tomorrow...

cosmicviper10 said:I was scrolling through Lemonade when I stumbled upon this article that basically forced my hand to start this whole thread Agritourism—still such a massive, untapped goldmine in our tourism industry

The Dalmatian Hinterland, the Midwest, the Mountainous Region... these are all parts of America that would absolutely fascinate European travelers who aren't just looking to sit on a beach for their entire vacation. If we actually made it possible for a tourist to wander into a small town in the Midwest, I’m convinced they’d eat and drink better than they ever have in their lives; they could actually see how an American farmer lives, check out local monuments, soak up the cultural heritage, and all that good stuff... But here’s the kicker: how is a tourist supposed to even find these places when the local farmer barely knows what the internet is, let alone cares about it? Nobody’s really stepped up to help them adapt to new technology or offer any actual guidance, you know? Personally, I grew up in the Midwest, so I’m speaking from experience, much like the author of that article who was talking about their lovely time exploring the areas behind the coast near a certain coastal town... Just imagine if someone organized a three-day trip to the Midwest for a tourist spending two weeks on the coast... I bet you anything they’d be coming back next year...

Right now, America mostly offers tourists loud clubs, mediocre restaurants, sky-high prices, and the same old stuff they could find anywhere else... I really feel like there are so many other qualities we possess that just aren't surfacing above the waterline... What do you guys think?

When you combine a total freeze on any kind of business credit with a completely disinterested state bureaucracy, you get exactly this kind of magic. It’s a recipe for disaster.
For instance, you're talking about broadband access—that kind of high-speed internet that the regulatory agencies at the relevant federal department really ought to step up and ensure is available to everyone. It shouldn't matter if someone lives right in the middle of a major city or tucked away in some tiny hole in the middle of nowhere; there should be a constant, reliable supply of service for everybody, regardless of their zip code.
On the other hand, I get the feeling that people around here are only ever satisfied with what’s handed to them directly. They’ll happily take whatever is put on the table, but then they turn around and start protesting like crazy over things like stimulus checks, social security, or those little government handouts. It’s funny because those tiny extras actually make us more dependent on someone else, while we completely overlook all the massive, extra benefits being funneled out of the entire situation through all sorts of shady back channels.

Keith Ward said:I can’t stand that cheap domestic lager... honestly, it's gross. But then again, I don't exactly have a cellar full of Love Pit Corona, Erdinger, La Trap, or Guinness waiting for me when I head out, since most places only serve those tiny little 3.4-ounce pours. $10 Moving on. Since I’m only pulling in about $3.50 an hour right now, there’s really no point in me trying to act like Rockefeller. 🙂I tend to make compromises on things like that just so I don't have to bend over backwards on other matters. But honestly, let's stay focused—the beer isn't really what we're here to talk about. 😍 It turns out I’ve officially earned my reputation as a total lightweight. Seriously, I was already feeling the effects of a few drinks just walking from the station over to grab a quick snack before hitting the gym. By the time I actually made it to the main entrance, I was already a complete mess! 😂..!

The real difference between an alcopop and anything else isn't about what's actually inside the bottle—it’s all about how they market themselves to you. I'm not quite sure what you mean by that—it feels like a bit of a fragment! Are you talking about the specific quantity of something we were discussing earlier? If you could give me a little more context or flesh out the thought, I’d love to dive into it with you. I'm all ears!.
On top of that, you really have to be careful with alcohol—even beer—if you're trying to stay hydrated. It’s just not a good way to replenish your fluids because it actually works against you. I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "diuretiku," but if we're talking about diuretics, that’s a pretty heavy topic to jump straight into! Are we discussing medical stuff, or maybe some kind of science experiment? Either way, I'm curious to hear where you're going with this. Feel free to elaborate! It basically means this: you go out and grab a beer—say, a pint—and then nature decides to squeeze a whole liter right back out of you into some bushes nearby.
The very first thing you have to tackle when it comes to physical fatigue is dehydration. Honestly, staying on top of your fluid intake—whether that means sipping water or grabbing an electrolyte drink while you're out on a ride—is absolutely vital. It’s not just some vague suggestion either; there is plenty of both theoretical science and practical, real-world evidence to back up why this matters so much.

Keith Ward said:I’ve definitely got the drive, even if my gear isn't exactly top-tier right now—but hey, that’s just temporary. And look, I’m no saint... amen to that! My goal is pretty simple: I want to see exactly how much I can push myself over the next two or three years. Normally, I wouldn't call myself a competitive person, but the second I hop on my bike, everything changes. Suddenly, I have this relentless urge to be number one. It’s almost ridiculous; I can’t stand being stuck behind anyone. I find myself racing against city buses (they don't stop often enough, so they're way too fast for me!), streetcars, or honestly, anything else moving on the road. Physically, I’m pretty lean—usually hovering between 155 and 160 lbs at about 5'8"—so I can definitely hold my own when I put the power down. Obviously, I’m nowhere near professional cycling levels, but lately, even at 26, this "childish" fantasy has really started taking hold of me. To be honest, whenever I settle into the saddle, I feel like Anthony Hopkins in *World's fastest Indian*! I just love that feeling of seeing those athletic contours in the mirror, getting into that aggressive riding position... it feels like it pushes me straight to warp 6. 🙂It honestly just puts a massive smile on my face. 😍😍😍

Haha, I wouldn't count that! You definitely had an easy pass there since you were riding the bus. 😍

It’s not really about the gear—that’s not the point of this thread. Even the most elite pro cyclists aren't paying for all that high-end equipment out of their own pockets. At the end of the day, it’s about setting the right stage for yourself so you can actually squeeze every bit of potential out of your own performance.

Sarah Hill55 said:I can't recall the exact study right now—I did a quick search online, so if anyone happens to stumble upon the direct link, please drop it here (I'm feeling a bit too lazy to dig for it myself!), but the gist of it was something like this...

In endurance sports, like cycling, athletes typically hit their absolute peak somewhere between ages twenty-five and thirty. Of course, that doesn't mean they were total amateurs before thirty; I'm talking about being an incredibly active enthusiast, at least in terms of fitness. That peak window usually lasts about five to ten years, after which performance starts its gradual decline.
I'm not entirely sure of the biological reason behind it—maybe some weird quirk involving muscle physiology or something else entirely! BO!!!

Regardless, it’s never too late to turn things around and adopt healthier habits. 😉

Look—even if someone decides to go all-in and try to become the next Basso (I won't even mention Armstrong, because with him, anything seemed possible), 🤣 I honestly don't think even he expected to reach those heights.
On the flip side, just look up the term "Family Hoyt." You'll find a story about a father who, even in his later years, competes in triathlons—running, swimming, and cycling—alongside his son, who lives with cerebral palsy. The whole world looks up to them.
So, what matters more: chasing the dream of winning a yellow jersey, or enriching the lives of others and finding victory through that kind of impact? If we wanted to list the winners of the Tour or a Gira, we'd just need an internet connection, but to list the people who have truly touched our lives—how much time would we actually need😉?

Keith Ward said:I know it, and I truly believe it. My number one motivation for quitting is just wanting to be free from the addiction itself. I don't want to be a slave to it and then have to pay for the privilege. Of course, health and money were big factors too, but those feel more secondary now. A cigarette is trash, and honestly, so is this bottled garbage we call beer. Nothing justifies grabbing a couple of beers and lighting up a cigarette. But that’s how I unwind, and it’s not something that really worries me right now. If my drinking ends up getting in the way of taking my cycling more seriously later on, then I guess it'll have to go.

Well, look—cigarettes and beer don't exactly belong in the same category. Plus, if you actually want to get serious about cycling, you should probably take it a bit more seriously; it's not quite working out the way Patrick King7 suggested to you. 👎
Smoking is a direct hit, not just on us, but on the health of everyone around us.

As for the beer—look, it all comes down to what you're actually drinking. 😁
If you're just sticking to basic Budweiser, maybe it's time to branch out. I've realized it isn't necessarily about the amount you drink or that self-deception where we claim it quenches our thirst. It's more about the concept of treating it as a reward. In that case, the quantity isn't really the issue.

Keith Ward said:Look, I’m certainly no saint, so I can’t blame anyone for looking at me sideways! When I have a drink, I usually light up. It’s not a whole pack, though—just two or three cigarettes to enjoy the moment. Sometimes you just want that little extra something. People claim you can't function like that, but honestly, I haven't had any issues at all. What really changed was my mindset. And so far, I feel that shift more than any physical change. I actually feel incredibly strong and healthy 😁😁😁!

Don't let yourself get fooled: even the impact of a single active cigarette sticks with you for years, and statistically speaking, there's a clear link to increased rates of oral, bronchial, and lung cancers...
Unfortunately, it's my line of work, so I'm not just talking nonsense here...🙄